


In Time

by Lilithangel



Category: Angel: the Series
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-28
Updated: 2013-11-28
Packaged: 2018-01-02 21:15:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1061729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lilithangel/pseuds/Lilithangel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Willow does come to L.A. to try and save Fred from being destroyed by Illyria. Even she can’t stop an elder god but she stays in L.A. afterwards (at Spike’s suggestion). She and Wesley share the guilt of failing and with the help of an unlikely cupid perhaps in time they can find a future.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Time

**Author's Note:**

> Set in Angel season five after Shells with some tweaks in the timeline just because.

_“I’m so sorry,” Willow said to Wesley as they watched Illyria observe the fern._

_“You did everything you could,” he replied, “you can’t blame yourself.”_

_“Neither can you,” she said. “This was power far beyond us at work.”_

_“Intellectually I know but my heart isn’t so rational.”_

* * * * *

“Stay.”

“Buffy and the others need me.”

“We need you. The others, they’re drowning in this place. I can’t do it on my own Willow. Angel’s convinced they’re doing good and won’t listen to me, and Wesley’s falling apart,” Spike said. “Just stay for a while.”

Willow sighed, “Let me make a phone call.”

Spike smiled and squeezed her shoulder. “Appreciate it.”

“The least I can do is reassure Giles that you guys haven’t signed a deal with the devil,” she replied.

“Just a few lesser ones,” Spike joked under his breath.

* * * * *

“Willow needs an office,” Spike said. There were new scientists in the lab and Spike avoided it preferring to hang around in Wesley’s office despite the other man’s protests.

“I didn’t think she was staying,” Wesley replied.

“Talked her around,” Spike said. “Useful woman to have around, especially now.”

“Well, talk to Harmony I’m sure she can arrange something.”

“Room next to yours is empty.”

“Next to mine?” Wesley looked up from his papers in surprise.

“Seems some of the staff are leery about being next door to you,” Spike raised an eyebrow. “Willow won’t mind, she’s well used to watcher types.”

“If I agree will you leave me alone?” Wesley asked pinching the bridge of his nose in a manner that had Spike grinning.

* * * * *

“I don’t need all of this,” Willow said taking in the room.

“Pretty much standard issue around here except for the sofa,” Spike said throwing himself onto it. “Wes has got a matching one, always found it comfortable.”

“What am I supposed to do?” Willow sat down tentatively at her desk.

“We’ve got an elder god to babysit and I think it will shatter Wes into too many pieces if he has to do it.”

“You want me to babysit Illyria?”

“Thought I could do that. Wes needs distraction and you’re better suited to that. Besides saw the way Hamilton looked at you. You weren’t expected, you’ve messed up their game a bit. Lawyer boy said this was a distraction so if we can upset their applecart just a bit it has to help. You and Wes can work on that.”

“And you’re going to watch over Illyria?”

“It’s a job.” Spike shrugged. “My real calling is pissing Angel off.”

* * * * *

“That’s enough Illyria,” Willow said sternly, “Spike said to tell you there’s a fern in the break room that needs your intercourse and I really don’t know what he meant by that.”

Illyria regarded Willow for a moment with her clinical alien gaze and then nodded sharply before leaving.

“Thank you,” Wesley said wearily.

“She’s wrong though,” Willow said. “You were always Wesley. Taking people’s memories is never a good thing I learned that, but we are more than our memories, who we are will always push through.”

“And who am I?” Wesley looked up at her.

“You’re Wesley Wyndham-Pryce, watcher, demon hunter, truth seeker and a good man.” Willow let her hand rest on his shoulder. “Who needs to get some sleep.”

“I don’t think I can,” Wesley admitted.

“Then I’ll make you a cup of tea and keep you company. Giles finally taught me how to do it properly.”

“You don’t have to,” Wesley said as she busied herself with the kettle and teapot he kept at his kitchenette.

“When I lost Tara I was willing to destroy the world in my grief,” she said to the wall, “not to bring her back but to make the pain stop. All you wanted to do was find the truth. From what I can figure out you only took Connor in the first place because you were worried about him.”

“I didn’t trust Angel,” Wesley said, “I’ve never been able to truly trust him and that destroyed lives.”

“That’s a risk for all our decisions, but not doing things could be so much worse. Without his memories Connor was losing to Sahjahn, who knows what would have happened if you hadn’t broken the box.” Willow brought over the tea.

“Thank you,” Wesley said catching her hand and giving it a soft squeeze.

“You’re welcome,” she replied bringing them up to rest against his cheek. “I can’t imagine seeing her face every day knowing it wasn’t her. I’m impressed you’re still standing.” She released his hand and sat down opposite.

They drank their tea in silence and Willow watched as Wesley’s eyes slowly closed and he cradled his head in his arms. It wouldn’t be the most comfortable sleep but she knew how difficult sleep would be and was already planning with Spike to get him to his own bed. Until then she’d watch over the man she’d come to care for. He wasn’t the same man she’d known in Sunnydale any more than she was the same young girl. 

* * * * *

“I stabbed you. I should apologize for that. But I'm honestly not sure how. I think it'll just be awkward,” Wesley said to Gunn.

“Good call,” Gunn said uncomfortably.

“Okay.” Wesley looked away.

“I ain't lookin' for a sorry. Don't know if I'd accept it,” Gunn continued. “Besides, I just got my heart cut out of my chest every day for two weeks straight. Compared to what? A little jab in the gut? Kinda over it.”

Willow nodded to Gunn as he left Wesley’s office. He’d already thanked her for helping Illyria return him and accepted her pragmatic response that he was more use to them in their dimension and Angel couldn’t really trust Lindsay to be their only legal advisor.

“Tea?” Wesley got up as she entered. Tea had become their evening ritual followed by Spike dragging them off for something to eat rather than the previous tradition of pouring a drunk and maudlin Wesley into bed.

Now it was as likely to be Spike being poured into bed as Wesley, especially after Spike and Angel returned from Rome. Willow had warned them that Buffy had moved on and things were different but neither had believed it until they’d seen it.

It had allowed Willow to make amends with Dawn for leaving and Giles finally agreed to talk to Angel and share some information.

“I’m worried about Angel,” Willow said as she sipped her tea.

“Something strange is going on with him I have to agree. Since Illyria’s time jumping according to Spike,” Wesley said.

“He’s in the best position to know,” Willow said. “What can we do?”

“Watch him, research, talk to the others,” Wesley said with a sigh. “All the things we do when Angel conceals things from us,” he added in frustration. Their research had yielded very little but they still met every day and poured over ancient tomes hoping for clues to unravel the Senior Partner’s plans.

“Why don’t we ask him?” Willow suggested.

Wesley laughed in surprise. “Not a technique we’d normally use. Angel is not naturally open, I doubt somehow he’d tell us.”

“What about if Spike asked?”

“They’re more likely to get into an argument and I don’t think Harmony would forgive us if they broke the office again.”

Willow grinned. She was well aware of the deeply hidden regard Spike and Angel had developed, a regard that was often concealed by physical violence.

Angel had stopped asking why Willow was still in L.A. spending much of his time closeted with Hamilton or schmoozing with clients, leaving the others to struggle along as best they could. Wesley and Willow spent most of their time together, sometimes with Spike who had made it his mission to keep everyone talking even if it was only to complain about him.

On the desk their free hands were almost touching, only a sliver of air between them. Neither had noticed how comfortable they were with each other, how their mannerisms and expressions were beginning to match.

Spike on the other hand had noticed and when he looked around the door and saw how oblivious they were slipped away without announcing himself determined to harass some information out of Angel before things went completely pear shaped and find out what was going on in Illyria’s head as well.

If there was time Wesley and Willow would accept their attraction to each other and heal, and Spike was determined to give them that time, Angel be damned.

END


End file.
